March 16, 2001, Newsletter Issue #29: Alternative Health Newsletter : Live Longer With Lycopene

Tip of the Week

This "new" miracle drug is the tomato my little friends. You heard me, *TOMATO*. Nothing exotic, mysterious or elusive. We`re talking spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, canned tomatoes in soups, stews, casseroles, or just sliced and added to a sandwich or a salad.

This lovely offering from Mother Nature is a member of the carotenoid family and is extremely rich in beta-carotene, as well as being a potent antioxidant - both powerful enemies of cancer. According to stats published in "The Natural Pharmacy," Harvard researchers found that men who consumed 6.5 mg per day of lycopene in their diets, showed a 21 percent decreased risk of prostate cancer. Those who consumed more than 10 servings of tomato-based foods had a 35 percent decreased risk of prostate cancer.

Another study discovered that for 25 percent of folks with the greatest tomato intake, their risk for developing gastrointestinal tract cancers was 30 to 60 percent lower than those who were not major consumers of tomato products. Research has also suggested that women with high dietary levels of lycopene had a higher level of protection against cervical dysplasia and possibly breast cancer. European researchers uncovered an astonishing statistic, which indicated that those individuals who had a high dietary intake of lycopene ended up with a 48 percent lower risk of heart disease. In addition, researchers found that lycopene supplementation (15 mg a day) boosted immune function in the elderly and increased natural killer cell activity by 28 percent in just 12 weeks.

At present, the recommended intake is 6.5 mg a day, which breaks down to a mere 1.5 serving per week. And, if you get tired of downing tomato-based food, you`ll be happy to know you can get a little lycopene from red peppers, watermelon and guavas. Lycopene can also be taken in tablet form.

So break out your tomato stash and invite this red beauty to lunch, dinner and snack time regularly! What do you have to lose - except perhaps having to battle cancer, heart disease, cataracts and macular degeneration?

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